Kane

Sheri,

Kane and O’Kane is one of the most common surnames in Derry and Antrim. (The O’Cahans were one of the original landholders in that part of Ireland, and these are their descendants).  I looked at the 1901 census for Co Antrim and there were 1747 people named Kane or O’Kane. In Co Derry there were 2410. So extremely common names in that area.

I doubt there is any connection between a Kane family in Loughguile and another in Maghera, 40 miles away, any more than if you found 2 families both named Smith.

Thank-you. I have just been looking at all possiblities that maybe we have been looking in the wrong place(county). 

Was it required in the church for the witnesses of a wedding to be a female and a male?  and did they need to be a relative?

We have a marriage from Loughguile in 1846 with Francis Kane and Mary Mckinlay with a Kane as a witness.

There are no requirements regarding the sex, relationship etc of the witnesses. They can be anyone at all. Even children sometimes act as witnesses, though most churches prefer adults. So the witness can be a brother, sister, mother, father, friend or even a total stranger (as happens sometimes when couples elope, and a passer-by is persuaded to undertake the responsibility).